Political Lines Blur on the Party Circuit

CHANGE PARTIES AND DANCE--Entertainment industry politics has become more and more bipartisan (as in strong support for incumbent Sen. Pete Wilson coming from traditional Democratic circles). But the street goes both ways. One is not surprised to see MCA’s Lew Wasserman and Motion Picture Assn. President Jack Valenti on the invite for heavy hitters to co-chair the Feb. 23 fund-raiser for Sen. Lloyd Bentsen (D-Tex.). But also signing the mailgram is GOP regular Howard Allen, an MCA board member. Bentsen is the new chairman of the Senate Finance Committee and the telegram urges support “in this tribute to express our acknowledgement of his ongoing interest in our industry” . . . In another party cross-over, GOP heavyweight William Keck II hosts a campaign-deficit fund-raiser for Washington Democrat Sen. Brock Adams on Jan. 29 at Chasen’s.

CHANGE SPORTS--Gene Klein for 18 years owned the San Diego Chargers but then got himself into the horse-racing business. So much so that he was named last week as Owner of the Year. Klein, whose book “First Down and a Billion” is published this week, says he switched sports “because horses, unlike football players, don’t have agents.”

HEAD WEST--Who is going to be putting out Newsweek next Monday? Certainly not the heavy hitters from New York. They’ll be in Santa Monica celebrating the appointment of Michael Reese as L.A. bureau chief. Hosting is Janet Huck, former chief. Among notables--Howard Hesseman, Ed Asner, Ed Begley Jr., “Beverly Hills Cop’s” Roger Birnbaum, Judi and Gordon Davidson, Councilpeople Zev Yaroslavsky and Joy Picus.

MORE ZEV--And, writing of Yaroslavsky, speculation is rampant that the Fairfax councilman is running for mayor--no matter what Mayor Tom Bradley’s decision is for a fourth term.

LOOKING GOOD--Vidal Sassoon gets honored at a benefit for the Sephardic Hebrew Academy on Feb. 3 at the Beverly Hilton. Entertainment will be by Sammy Davis Jr. and a presentation by Norman Lear. The evening is a good example of how a charity can make it to the big leagues in L.A. A chance encounter between Rabbi Baruch Kupfer and Sassoon (whose long-standing commitment to the Jewish community is well-known) has produced an instantly extraordinary evening with a committee stretching from Annenberg (Wallis) to Ziffren (Paul). Honors couldn’t happen to a nicer guy . . .

FROM OUR FAR-FLUNG--Barbara Rush (that “Woman of Independent Means”) is visiting in London and so that city’s favorite expatriate, Margaret Gardener, hosted a party for, among others, Lord and Lady (Bubbles, to her buddies) Rothermere. Among L.A. partygoers were producer David Foster and his son Gary (there for the premiere of “Short Circuit”), Carroll Baker, director Peter Yates and his wife Virginia, restaurateur Dan Tana, William Morris’ Steve Kenis and director John Frankenheimer (on his way to Venice to direct “Across the River and Into the Trees”).

UPCOMING--Alan Rothenberg takes over as president of the Constitutional Rights Foundation at a dinner next Wednesday at the Sheraton Grande. Superintendent of Public Instruction Bill Honig is the guest speaker . . . Next Wednesday, the California Abortion Rights Action League, along with Ali MacGraw and Cheryl Tiegs, hosts a reception celebrating “14 years of safe and legal abortion in America.”

HAPPY NEW YEAR--When Madame Sylvia Wu holds her annual Chinese New Year’s at her Santa Monica restaurant Jan. 29, it will benefit the Loretta Wu Wong Scholarship Fund at Loyola Marymount High School. It’s the Year of the Rabbit, by the way, and among famous rabbits are Queen Victoria, Albert Einstein and Bob Hope. Efrem Zimbalist Jr. (unknown if he’s a rabbit) will co-host.